To Tempt a Cowgirl

“Home is a good mile away.”

She shrugged.

“It’s dark.”

“I have a flashlight.”

“How about I come with you?”

Again she shook her head. “I’ve put you through enough tonight. I’ll be back in the morning for the truck if you don’t mind if I leave it here.”

“Why would I mind?” he asked innocently.

* * *

DANI ARRIVED AT Gabe Matthews’s driveway early the next morning just as a tow truck pulled out, a sports car attached to the towline. How much was this going to cost her? It’d looked as if the car had simply ended up in the grassy ditch last night when she’d walked by leading Lacy, but knowing her luck, the frame was now bent, or some chunk of special German-made chrome needed to be replaced.

Well, such was life.

But why was life always this way when money was tight? When she was trying to live on a shoestring budget as she started her dream business...the one that Marti Kendall had pretty much told her was doomed.

Yeah, we’ll see about that, Marti.

Jingling the keys in her sweatshirt pocket, she continued down the driveway. Worrying didn’t do a lick of good. All she could do was focus on the positives, and there were positives. She had a place to start her business; a place where she could live rent-free.

After she and Jolie had talked Allie and Mel out of instantly selling the ranch following Allie’s divorce, the sisters had agreed that as long as one of them wanted to live on the place, they would keep it. If Dani and Jolie didn’t want to live on the place, they would revisit the idea of a sale. Dani didn’t see that happening. Her father had once told her that he didn’t regret not having a lot of money because he had something better—a life that made him glad to get up in the morning. That was what Dani wanted. In a way she was lucky that her company had folded when it did. It gave her the kick in the butt she needed to start living a life that made her glad to get up in the morning.

She walked over the cattle guard at the Staley gate and paused for a moment, studying the house. It’d literally been years since she’d been close to the house, but it looked better than ever. Even though no had lived in it for the past year or so, the windows sparkled in the early-morning sun, the cedar appeared freshly oiled and the lawn was green and manicured. The Staleys had paid a pretty penny to keep the place they’d grown tired of maintained as they’d waited—and waited—for a buyer. Apparently they still hadn’t found one if Gabe’s company was only leasing.

She’d decided against checking in with Gabe before leaving in the truck. It was early—barely after sunrise—and she imagined a guy on vacation would want to sleep in. She’d just started for her beat-up vehicle when a voice behind her made her jump.

She turned to see Gabe standing on the porch, wearing jeans and a gray-and-black plaid shirt, half-buttoned, with the tails hanging out. His dark hair was still rumpled from sleep, his feet were bare and he wore glasses. Dark horn-rimmed glasses that made him look like a sexy scientist. “You’re here early,” he said, running a hand over the back of his head.

“My sister is coming later this morning.”

“She could have given you a ride.” He walked down the damp stone steps. Dani pulled her eyes away from his bare feet and fixed them back onto his face.

“I like walking.”

“I noticed. How’s the mare?”

“I put her in a stall in the barn. As far as I know, she’s still there.” She took a few steps closer, turning the keys over in her hands. “I saw your car...leave.”

“It’s a company car, so I figured it’d be best to have it checked out.”

“What company?”

“I doubt you’ve heard of it,” he said with a half smile. “I’m a consultant for a company that designs parks and gardens for towns and universities.”

“Does the company have a name?”

One of his eyebrows lifted slightly at the question. “Gabe Matthews, Consultant, LLC.”

“You’re forcing yourself into a vacation?”

“It was either that or a heart attack.”

“Do you have other employees?”

“I contract my help for the most part.”

Which only brought more questions to mind, but Dani forced herself to step back. Her neighbor’s business had nothing to do with her. “Well, let me know what the damages to your car are.”

“Danica, I don’t quite know how to break this to you, but you’re not paying.”

“I’m not?” The words came out on a note of challenge.

“That’s what insurance is for.”

“What about the deductible?”

“My company has a top-notch insurance policy. Low deductible.” He stepped onto the purplish flagstones. “I’ll tell you what you can do.”

“What’s that?” she asked, her eyes never leaving his. They were the most amazing stormy gray, and looked even grayer because of the shirt he was wearing.

“You can give me a ride to town when I get the call to pick it up.”

“I could do that,” Dani agreed. “And maybe even buy you lunch.” It seemed the least she could do. Then maybe she could get answers to the questions she probably shouldn’t be wondering about in the first place.

“Or dinner. My treat,” Gabe said.

“That isn’t exactly me buying you lunch.”

“You can buy a drink later.”

Dani shook her head. “Lunch.”

“I’m not hitting on you,” he said on a note of amused exasperation.

“You’re not?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

He smiled crookedly. “Maybe a little, but in a neighborly sort of way.”

And maybe that was a bit flattering, but Dani shifted into retreat mode. She still had some Chad issues to work through before diving back into the dating—or even the quick-drink—pool. “I don’t know you and I don’t go out with guys I don’t know.”

“How do we get to know each other?”

“I guess we go to lunch.” Because that was as far as she’d let things go, even if he was the best-looking guy she’d seen in forever.